Firefighters have issued a reminder of their smoking safety advice following a fire at a vehicle repair shop on Rigg Approach in Leyton.
A small part of the external fascia and timber doors of the workshop were damaged by the fire. Around two tonnes of car material in a rear courtyard were destroyed by the fire. There were no reports of any injuries.
The fire is believed to have been accidental and was caused by the unsafe disposal of smoking materials.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "If you're a smoker, it’s absolutely vital you ensure your cigarette is completely out when you’ve finished smoking it. If you don’t, you risk causing a fire which could not only destroy your home but also cost you your life.
"With the dry weather conditions that London has been seeing and will continue to see, any fire can quickly get out of control. It only takes a small spark to ignite dry grass, shrubs, or litter and many grass and land fires are caused by discarded cigarettes and matches.
“Never throw cigarette ends out of car windows and if you are smoking on your balcony, have an ashtray to hand, and don’t flick your ashes off the balcony.”
Control Officers took the first of 20 calls at 2036 and mobilised four fire engines and around 25 firefighters from Leyton, Walthamstow and Stoke Newington fire stations to the scene. The incident was over for firefighters at 2153.
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